The “Divaina” newspaper had reported on 11.06.2017 that when printing the grade 7 Geography textbook for 2017 it has created an unhealthy condition for school children by using artificial papers instead of normal papers. Further the Government Medical Officers’ Association also had expressed views on this matter misleading the people. Therefore actions were taken to issue this communiqué.

The school children faced a great inconvenience due to the destruction of their textbooks during the natural disasters happened recently. Therefore the attention of the government was drawn to produce the textbooks resistant to such conditions.

And also in the offset printed present textbooks the printed maps are in a very poor condition. The problems of maps and colors were present in these books and it was very important and essential to print them with accurate maps with good colors. Further, there is comparatively a more tendency of being dirty very soon in the offset printed books.

Considering these facts, the cabinet approval, recommendations of the technical evaluation committee and the approval of tender board were received for the new project for creating a textbook that can be used for about five years without any damage. Accordingly the steps were taken to print five hundred thousand copies of grade 7 Geography textbook (Sinhala, Tamil and English media) and those books have been distributed for the use of school children from January 2017.

The Department of Education Publications made an inquiry from the Deputy Director General of Health about the health condition of the papers used for printing of this book and it was directed to the tests recommended by the Deputy Director General of Health. According to the SGS certification received at the occasion of import of Polypropylene papers used for printing of this book and the tests conducted by the Sri Lanka Industrial Technical Institution (ITI), it has been confirmed that this book does not contain any heavy metal or any harmful chemicals.

Furthermore, about 150,000 books have been distributed among students in January 2017 and any such complaint from teachers or students has not been received.

When the local and foreign reputed institutions have confirmed to be healthful, the Government Medical Officers Association has brought baseless accusations and directed the school children and their parents to a false fear just depending on a newspaper report without any foundation. A reasonable doubt comes up through this kind of baseless activities whether the Government Medical Officers Association is trying to achieve their political aims against the government.

Therefore the Department of Education Publications requests from the general public to understand the actual situation and act accordingly. And also the steps will be taken to take legal actions shortly against the Government Medical Officers Association that is raising baseless allegations, said the Commissioner General of Education Publications Mr. I.M.K.B. Ilangasingha.

It is evident through these baseless statements that the Government Medical Officers Association is trying to use the media against the Ministry of Education and achieve their political gains and revenge when they could not admit unreasonably their children to popular schools recently.

We thoroughly condemn this incident of taking the textbook provided to children for their so called trade union aims by the trade unions such as the Government Medical Officers Association who challenged the education rights of the children of this country saying only their children should be admitted to popular schools.